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Mathematics and Economics with a Placement Year

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,C

including Mathematics at grade A. If you place us as your Firm choice we will accept you with one grade lower than this, including accepting a B in Maths at A level. (e.g. BBC with Maths at B or ABD with Maths at either A or B).

Access to HE Diploma

D:18,M:27

including at least 12 level 3 credits in Mathematics. If you place us as your Firm choice we will accept you with 15 level 3 credits at Distinction and 30 level 3 credits at Merit, including at least 12 level 3 credits in Maths.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D3,M2,M3

including Mathematics at Grade D3. If you place us as your Firm choice we will accept you with one grade lower than this, including accepting a grade M2 in Maths. (e.g. M2, M2, M3 with Maths at M2).

Extended Project

B

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification provides to students for University study, we now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.  Eligible applicants would receive two offers,  our usual offer plus an alternative offer of a B in the EPQ and one grade lower in their A level subjects.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths C (or 4), English Language or English Literature C (or 4).

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

including Mathematics at grade 6 at Higher Level. If you place us as your Firm choice we will accept you with 28 points overall, including accepting Maths at grade 5 at Higher Level.

Scottish Higher

A,B,B,B,B

including Mathematics at grade A. If you place us as your Firm choice we will accept you with one grade lower than this, including accepting a B in Maths (e.g. BBBBB with Maths at B).

UCAS Tariff

120-141

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Mathematics

Economics

**Expand your knowledge across two complementary disciplines and develop in-demand skills on our BSc Mathematics and Economics with a Placement Year course.**

This flexible course will prepare you for a multitude of careers in growing industries, allowing you to study to your strengths and discover new interests. You’ll develop your skills in mathematics and economics, as well as learn how to code.

This four-year degree includes an integrated, year-long work placement, allowing you to graduate with experience in the industry.

**Grow in confidence as a mathematician**

Join the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and become a part of a supportive, interactive, and accomplished learning community.

Taught by expert staff with extensive teaching, research, and consultancy experience, you’ll work collaboratively across a range of topics in pure and applied mathematics. Modules are informed by our world-leading research, and include areas such as:
- calculus

- analysis

- linear algebra

- differential equations

- numerical analysis.

Your second year will feature a skills module, which is designed to improve your transferrable skills and enhance your employability.

**Exploring economics**

Economics skills can help you progress into a range of sectors such as business, finance, and marketing.

With support from the Department of Economics, you will gain a thorough understanding of both microeconomics and macroeconomics, with a choice between econometrics or economic theory in your second year.

We pride ourselves in our high-quality teaching, which will be delivered in a range of approaches, including:
- lectures

- group tutorials

- group presentations

- open debate.

**Placement Year**

This degree includes an integrated, year-long, paid industrial placement between your second and final year.

We offer a variety of placements in areas such as finance, logistics, and technology, and across a range of national and international organisations, such as Microsoft, IBM, SAP and the NHS.

Our dedicated placements officer can provide advice and support to find your ideal placement, as well as developing your CV and interview skills.

You can also undertake summer placements throughout your degree if you wish too.

Visit the Important Information page for more details on securing and completing a placement year.

Modules

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Core modules:
- Calculus
- Foundations of Mathematics
- Linear Algebra
- Introductory Economics
- Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis
- Mathematical Methods for Economists
- Real Analysis I
- Intermediate Economic Theory
- Intermediate Macroeconomics
- Intermediate Microeconomics
- Differential Equations
- Mathematical Modelling and Professional Skills
- Placement Year
- Advanced Microeconomics
- Portfolio of Projects

The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£27,650
per year
International
£27,650
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Reading

Department:

School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

77%
Mathematics
78%
Economics

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Mathematics

Teaching and learning

66%
Staff make the subject interesting
89%
Staff are good at explaining things
76%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
68%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

69%
Library resources
71%
IT resources
81%
Course specific equipment and facilities
72%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

85%
UK students
15%
International students
70%
Male students
30%
Female students
67%
2:1 or above
25%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
C
C

Economics

Teaching and learning

71%
Staff make the subject interesting
78%
Staff are good at explaining things
84%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
70%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

66%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
85%
Course specific equipment and facilities
74%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

80%
UK students
20%
International students
72%
Male students
28%
Female students
73%
2:1 or above
20%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Mathematics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£25,000
med
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
74%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

36%
Business, research and administrative professionals
16%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
10%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals

Want to feel needed? This is one of the most flexible degrees of all and with so much of modern work being based on data, there are options everywhere for maths graduates. With all that training in handling figures, it's hardly surprising that a lot of maths graduates go into well-paid jobs in the IT or finance industries, and last year, a maths graduate in London could expect a very respectable average starting salary of £27k. And we're always short of teachers in maths, so that is an excellent option for anyone wanting to help the next generation. And if you want a research job, you'll want a doctorate — and a really good maths doctorate will get you all sorts of interest from academia and finance — and might secure some of the highest salaries going for new leavers from university.

Economics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
93%
med
Employed or in further education
81%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

31%
Business, research and administrative professionals
28%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
11%
Administrative occupations: finance

This is a degree in demand, as business increasingly needs workers who can examine and explain complex data. And yet the number of economics graduates fell by nearly 10% last year, which means demand is even greater. As so many economic grads go into banking and finance, it's not surprising that over half of all 2015's economics graduates who did go into work were working in London. And don't think it's just the finance industry that's interested in these graduates - there's a significant number who enter the IT industry to work with data as analysts and consultants. It's quite common for economics graduates to go into jobs such as accountancy and management consultancy which may require you to take more training and gain professional qualifications - so don’t assume you won’t have to take any more exams once you leave uni. And the incentive to take them, of course, is better pay, which will be on top of an already healthy average starting salary of over £30,000 for graduates working in the capital.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Mathematics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£34k

£34k

£35k

£35k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Economics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£26k

£26k

£32k

£32k

£41k

£41k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here